'''Belegaer''', the '''Great Sea''' or the '''Sundering Seas''', is the sea of [[Arda]] that is west of [[Middle-earth]].

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| image=[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Sea.jpg|250px]]

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| name=Belegaer

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| othernames=The Great Sea, Sundering Seas, ''Alatairë''

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| etymology= [[Sindarin|S.]] ''[[beleg]]'' + ''[[aer]]''

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| type=Ocean

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| location=East of [[Aman]], west of [[Endor]]

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| inhabitants=

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| realms=

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| description=

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| events=The [[War of Wrath]] & [[Akallabêth]]

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| references=

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|}}{{Pronounce|Belegaer.mp3|Ardamir}}

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Before the [[Second Age]], Belegaer stretched from the Gap of [[Ilmen]] in the far north, where a bridge made of ice known as the [[Helcaraxë]] connected [[Middle-earth]] and [[Aman]], to the far south, where it also connected with Ilmen and froze, although no strait was formed there. Belegaer was narrower in the north than in the south, with its widest part near the equator of Arda.

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{{quote|The Sea! Alas! I have not yet beheld it. But deep in the hearts of all my kindred lies the sea-longing, which it is perilous to stir. Alas! for the gulls. No peace shall I have again under beech or under elm.|[[Legolas]]<ref name="TLB">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[The Last Debate]]"</ref>}}

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The full extent of Belegaer after the [[Akallabêth]] is never made clear, but it reaches far enough to the north to be ice-covered, and far to the south. Belegaer corresponds with (and is intended to ''be'') the Atlantic Ocean.

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'''Belegaer''', the '''Great Sea''' or the '''Sundering Seas''', is the sea of [[Arda]] that is west of [[Middle-earth]].

==History==

==History==

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Before the [[Second Age]], Belegaer stretched from the Gap of [[Ilmen]] in the far north, where a bridge made of ice known as the [[Helcaraxë]] connected [[Middle-earth]] and [[Aman]], to the far south, where it also connected with Ilmen and froze, although no strait was formed there. Belegaer was narrower in the north than in the south, with its widest part near the equator of Arda.

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Before the end of the Second Age, the continent of Aman, home of the [[Valar]], formed the western edge of Belegaer. Before the ruin of [[Beleriand]] at the end of the [[First Age]], the sea was narrow and ice-filled in the north, forming the strait of Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice. It was thus possible to cross from Aman to Middle-earth on foot, though with difficulty, as did [[Fingolfin]] and his people of the [[Ñoldor]] when fleeing [[Valinor]].

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The full extent of Belegaer after the [[Akallabêth]] is never made clear, but it reaches far enough to the north to be ice-covered, and far to the south.

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Before the end of the Second Age, the continent of Aman, home of the [[Valar]], formed the western edge of Belegaer. Before the ruin of [[Beleriand]] at the end of the [[First Age]], the sea was narrow and ice-filled in the north, forming the strait of Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice. It was thus possible to cross from Aman to Middle-earth on foot, though with difficulty, as did [[Fingolfin]] and his people of the [[Noldor]] when fleeing [[Valinor]].

After the [[War of Wrath]] Belegaer was widened by the drowning of a large part of Middle-earth, and possibly parts of Aman. The bridge of ice in the north was removed, removing land access to the western continent. During the Akallebêth in the Second Age, the seas were bent and the world was made round. Aman was removed from the world, Belegaer washed "new lands", and only the chosen could find the "Straight Road" to [[Valinor]]. The new western end of Belegaer is never described in the narrative, although there are indications that Númenórean refugees reached them in search for Valinor.

After the [[War of Wrath]] Belegaer was widened by the drowning of a large part of Middle-earth, and possibly parts of Aman. The bridge of ice in the north was removed, removing land access to the western continent. During the Akallebêth in the Second Age, the seas were bent and the world was made round. Aman was removed from the world, Belegaer washed "new lands", and only the chosen could find the "Straight Road" to [[Valinor]]. The new western end of Belegaer is never described in the narrative, although there are indications that Númenórean refugees reached them in search for Valinor.

The name is [[Sindarin]], and has the elements ''[[Beleg]]'' or "Might" and ''[[Aer]]'' or ''[[Eär]]'', an element meaning "Sea" which is also present in the name ''[[Eärendil]]'' (sea-lover).

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===Islands===

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The [[Quenya]] name of Belegaer, never used in published writing, is '''''Alatairë'''''.

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Belegaer has and had several islands and island chains:

Belegaer has and had several islands and island chains:

* [[Tol Eressëa]], the Lonely Isle close to the shore of Aman

* [[Tol Eressëa]], the Lonely Isle close to the shore of Aman

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** [[Tol Fuin]]

** [[Tol Fuin]]

** [[Himling]]

** [[Himling]]

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* [[Balar]], in the Bay of Balar (First Age only)

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* [[Isle of Balar | Balar]], in the Bay of Balar (First Age only)

* [[Tolfalas]], in the Bay of Belfalas

* [[Tolfalas]], in the Bay of Belfalas

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===Bays and inlets===

Other features of Belegaer:

Other features of Belegaer:

* Bay of [[Eldamar]]

* Bay of [[Eldamar]]

* [[Bay of Balar]] (First Age only)

* [[Bay of Balar]] (First Age only)

* the [[Great Gulf]] (First Age only)

* the [[Great Gulf]] (First Age only)

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* Firth of [[Drengist]] (First Age only)

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* [[Firth of Drengist]] (First Age only)

* Ice Bay of [[Forochel]] (after First Age)

* Ice Bay of [[Forochel]] (after First Age)

* [[Gulf of Lune]] (after First Age)

* [[Gulf of Lune]] (after First Age)

* [[Bay of Belfalas]] (after First Age)

* [[Bay of Belfalas]] (after First Age)

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[[Category:Pronounced articles]]

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==Etymology==

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[[Category:Oceans]]

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The name is [[Sindarin]], and has the elements ''[[Beleg]]'' ("mighty") and ''[[aer]]'', an element meaning "sea".<ref name="SilApp">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (ed.), ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', "Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"</ref> The [[Quenya]] name of Belegaer, never used in primary writing, is '''''Alatairë'''''.<ref name="etym">{{LR|Etymologies}}</ref>

"The Sea! Alas! I have not yet beheld it. But deep in the hearts of all my kindred lies the sea-longing, which it is perilous to stir. Alas! for the gulls. No peace shall I have again under beech or under elm."

Contents

History

Before the Second Age, Belegaer stretched from the Gap of Ilmen in the far north, where a bridge made of ice known as the Helcaraxë connected Middle-earth and Aman, to the far south, where it also connected with Ilmen and froze, although no strait was formed there. Belegaer was narrower in the north than in the south, with its widest part near the equator of Arda.

The full extent of Belegaer after the Akallabêth is never made clear, but it reaches far enough to the north to be ice-covered, and far to the south.

Before the end of the Second Age, the continent of Aman, home of the Valar, formed the western edge of Belegaer. Before the ruin of Beleriand at the end of the First Age, the sea was narrow and ice-filled in the north, forming the strait of Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice. It was thus possible to cross from Aman to Middle-earth on foot, though with difficulty, as did Fingolfin and his people of the Noldor when fleeing Valinor.

After the War of Wrath Belegaer was widened by the drowning of a large part of Middle-earth, and possibly parts of Aman. The bridge of ice in the north was removed, removing land access to the western continent. During the Akallebêth in the Second Age, the seas were bent and the world was made round. Aman was removed from the world, Belegaer washed "new lands", and only the chosen could find the "Straight Road" to Valinor. The new western end of Belegaer is never described in the narrative, although there are indications that Númenórean refugees reached them in search for Valinor.